Cafe Barbes

Elite '08

333

199

Nadja M.

Brooklyn, NY

This is a hip little joint.  

Very cool crowd and a performance space.  The drinks are wee pricey, but worth it.  I came here for a shoe that ended up being packed.  The venue is too small to suffer the heat so, my boyfriend and I ditched our friends and actually got our money back and waited at the bar.  It was cool.

(and they had the show piped in on the speakers from the performance room anyway)

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Elite '08

259

721

Lindley E.

Chicago, IL

So when One Ring Zero had a release party at Barbes in 2003, I was tapped to put together the cheese plate. As a non-permanent Brooklynite (and then a resident of Fort Greene, not Park Slope) I was relatively unknown to the crowd (though I'd met Olivier on several occasions) and was surprised at how friendly the crowd was. And how into cheese they all were.

The back room is small and provides an intimate setting for movie nights and for musical performances- they now get written up in the New Yorker's listings on a regular basis. Don't expect perfect acoustics and high polish - Barbes is a labor of love that is earnest and welcoming and not overly concerned with appearances.

Artists will have residencies at Barbes, so check listings often...

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13

16

Carlos P.

Chicago, IL

Named after a Paris quartier in the 18th Arrondissement, to be exact, this tiny space right next door to Colson Patisserie is a cultural powerhouse in the Park Slope neighborhood.  Run by a couple of music- and community-loving French guys, it features a fairly high-end list of single-malt Scotch whiskys and sundry refined tipples, although a PBR or a Ricard can be had here for a price considered reasonable in New York.   Their draught beer selection is pared down to some outstanding essentials, including a locally-brewed toasted lager and Speckled Hen Ale from England.  

The real attraction, aside from the impressive drinks listing, is the music.  Tuesday nights are considered "brass night", and an assortment of brass bands from around the globe put in appearances here, such as Slavic Soul Party (who hold court here), the Pink Puffers (from Rome, Italy) and Chicago's Black Bear Combo. In fact, each night a staggeringly eclectic assortment of world music regales the visitor.  [Due to the staunchly residential nature of the area, music performances tend to end at 12 midnight in order to keep the peace.]  Their website is extremely informative, well put together and updated frequently.

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